Preseason competition is behind us, and the Duke Blue Devils now prepare to host Army in their regular-season opener on Nov. 2.

We learned a lot about this Duke team throughout its three preseason games, and there's a lot more to like than dislike. The sheer depth and talent were clear, and Jon Scheyer has so much room for creativity in terms of the different lineups he can throw out there.

The Blue Devils brought in one of the top high school recruiting classes, a norm for the program under Scheyer, but with so many options, some 5-stars might not be critical pieces of the rotation right away. We projected each freshman's minutes earlier this summer, but let's update them after three preseason outings.

Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje: Starter, 25+ MPG

Joaquim Boumtje Boumtje was sensational throughout the preseason. He was held in check offensively against Kansas, which did a good job matching Duke's physicality, but the seven-foot rookie is so polished offensively and showed against the Jayhawks that he can effectively guard most areas of the floor.

Boumtje Boumtje didn't take long to burst onto the college basketball scene. In Duke's opening scrimmage against Belmont, the freshman notched a game-high 19 points, along with seven boards, two blocks, and two steals on 7-of-11 shooting from the field and 2-of-5 shooting from three-point range. He followed that up with 11 points, two assists, and three blocks against No. 8 Tennessee.

Offensively, Kansas contained Boumtje Boumtje fairly well, but he still showed his elite-level defensive versatility. Boumtje Boumtje spent time guarding Kansas' 6'8" 5-star freshman guard Tyran Stokes and Melvin Council on the perimeter, and made their lives difficult. With his offensive polish and extremely unique defensive profile, it's going to be hard for Scheyer to keep him off the floor.

Deron Rippey Jr.: Key Reserve, 17-21 MPG

5-star freshman Deron Rippey Jr. showed in the preseason that he can be a starting-level player on a championship-caliber team right now. Against Tennessee, the 6'3" guard posted a game-high 21 points on 9-of-12 shooting in 21 minutes. He's one of the best pure athletes on the roster, defends the perimeter at an extremely high level, and can run the show offensively in the half-court.

The Blue Devils just have so many elite guards on the roster with Caleb Foster, Cayden Boozer, and John Blackwell. Regardless of who starts alongside Blackwell, Scheyer and Co. legitimately have three point guards who could be high-level starters for high-major teams. In a crowded room, it's hard to see Rippey playing more than what we projected here, but he'll be an elite sparkplug off the bench.

Cameron Williams: Versatile Reserve Forward, 14-18 MPG

Cameron Williams is the highest-rated recruit in Duke's 2026 high school recruiting class, but he could be the rookie whose role fluctuates the most throughout the year. The seven-footer dealt with a virus that set him back early in the preseason, which obviously played a role. However, his raw skill set and frame showed in the minutes he's got.

Williams is probably the second-most promising NBA prospect in Duke's freshman class as a mobile, long seven-footer with versatile defensive skills and a smooth outside shot, but it will take him some time to adjust to college-level physicality. That will be the case for all of Duke's rookies, but it certainly seemed to bother Williams against Kansas.

Williams will be a consistent part of this rotation, but it might take some time for him to adjust to the college game. Nonetheless, his long-term ceiling is extremely high.

Bryson Howard: Reserve Wing, 10-14 MPG

Bryson Howard is an interesting case; his path to significant minutes might rely on his ability to be a consistent outside shooting threat. He's a bit more versatile defensively than most 6'4" freshman guard/wings, and he's highly skilled on the offensive end, but the three spot is probably where he'd see the most time.

Howard shot 2-of-9 (22.2%) from three-point range across three preseason games. That doesn't mean all that much because he's a proven shooter, but I'm curious how he gets on the floor if he's not a reliable shooting threat.

Maxime Meyer: Developmental Year

4-stat seven-footer Maxime Meyer was brought in as a project-type prospect, but I was fairly impressed with his mobility on defense and active hands. It will take time for him to grow into a big-time college basketball big man, but the raw potential is there. It's hard to see Meyer getting on the floor much, if at all, in 2026-27. But in a year or so, he could be a big piece of the rotation.